Church closing due to decline in membership

Faith Lutheran Church, 6201 W. Peterson Ave., is under contract to be sold.

Plans reportedly are being made to disband the congregation due to declining membership and to donate proceeds from the sale of the property to charities supported by the church. The Koenig Rubloff Realty Group lists the asking price for the property as $990,000.

The listing agent for the sale would not discuss plans for the site, but the listing promotes the property as "perfect for church or community use" and describes the 10,970-square-foot church at the southwest corner of Peterson and Melvina avenues as a "stunning Mid-Century edifice on beautiful landscaped grounds." The parish center was home to the Chicago Latvian Childcare and Pre-school.

The RS-3 zoning of the site allows a variety of uses, including single-family homes, two-flats, religious assembly and schools. The site includes a 20-space parking lot.

The Faith congregation was formed in 1924, and its membership in recent years totaled 78, according to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s Web site. A representative of Faith Lutheran could not be reached for comment.

Several area Lutheran churches have closed in the last few years, including Jefferson Park Lutheran, 5009 N. Northwest Hwy., and Mayfair Lutheran 4335 W. Lawrence Ave. Both of those churches were purchased by another religious group.

In 2000 several area Lutheran churches closed and joined together to form United in Faith Lutheran Church, 6525 W. Irving Park Road.